Sony HDC-4300 Ultra HD camera

Sony's new HDC-4300 system camera, aimed at sports and events broadcasting, is touted as “the world’s first camera to use three 2/3-inch 4K image sensors” [the Hitachi SK-UHD4000, which is already in use, has four sensors: one red, one blue and two green for extra sensitivity].

The HDC-4300 also offers up to 8x Super-Slow Motion in HD (at frame rates up to 479.52/400fps), which will make it a useful HD camera to have for today’s mainstream productions. It can do 50/60p in Ultra HD. Both the 4K and 8x capabilities are on a paid-for license (which can be bought on a weekly, monthly or permanent basis), so if you don’t need them from the start, you don’t need to pay for them until you do. It comes standard with 2x and 3x HD recording.

Blackmagic Ursa upgradable camera

Blackmagic Design has announced a new high-end digital film camera with a user-upgradable sensor and lens mount, larger-than-normal 10-inch fold-out monitor, and a multi-screen design that should make it simpler to use. Its feature set and upgradability cover many of the most common requests on user’s wish lists.

The Super 35-sized Ultra HD (3840 x 2160) image sensor has a global shutter (so no more CMOS sensor rolling shutter effects) and will be replaceable, along with the lens mount, which can be EF or PL, or even, with a broadcast video sensor, a B4 mount.

Panasonic VariCam 4K + high speed

Panasonic has launched two new VariCam models: the VariCam 35 (shooting 4K Raw) and the high-speed (HD) VariCam HS.

The PL-mount VariCam 35 (AU-V35C1) uses a newly-developed super 35mm MOS image sensor (4096x2160 - 17:9) and can shoot 4K, UHD, 2K and HD, making it suitable for high-end filmmaking, commercials and episodic production as well as live 4K events.

Sony PMW-F5 + F55 4K cameras

Sony has announced two new 4K cameras (the PMW-F5 and PMW-F55), plus the impending arrival of the 4K upgrade for the NEX-FS700, as it begins to get serious about moving beyond HD. The new cameras will use a new codec: XAVC. All the cameras use single Super35-sized CMOS sensors.

Sony started its move into 4K (4096x2160 pixels) with the F65 last year, and now has a range of 4K-capable equipment, including domestic and professional LCD and projector displays.

The high-end F65 is well regarded in the film industry, and the camera has been used on such movies as Oblivion and After Earth.

In fact, the F65 is now going beyond 4K, following its version 3.0 upgrade it will also be able to shoot 6K and 8K Raw (it uses a full 8K/20-megapixel sensor). It will also be able to shoot at up to 120 frames per second in 8K. It can be fitted with a new 0.7-inch OLED viewfinder (the first such for this type of camera), and has received several other film-related additions, such as anamorphic lens support.

However, as the F65 moves even further upmarket, the F55 and F5 should slot seamlessly in underneath it.

Open codec architecture

The cameras will support four codecs: XAVC, for high frame rates and 4K, MPEG2 at 50Mbps, MPEG4 SStP (Sony’s SR Master codec) and Raw 4K “by the switch of a button, depending on what job you want to do,” said Olivier Bovis, Sony’s Head of AV Media.

The F5 and F55 will need the new AXS-R5 recorder for Raw, but everything else will be recorded internally on a new, faster, memory card: SxS Pro+, which will support higher frame rates and bit rates – it is about 20/30% faster than an SxS Pro card at writing/reading and comes in 64GB and 128GB versions.

The F55 will be able to simultaneously record both MPEG2 50Mbps and XAVC 4K to the same SxS Pro+ card, which means you can have a readily usable 50Mbps version for offline editing in a 4K production, or just hold an archive of 4K shots for the future while shooting for today’s broadcast standards. You should also be able to record Raw 4K at the same time to the R5 recorder.

Internally, the F55 will be able to record HD (1920x1080), 2K (2048x1080), QFHD (Quad Full HD - 3840x2160), and 4K, while the F5 will be limited to 2K and HD, but once you add the R5 both will record Raw 4K and higher frame rates.

The F55 “has a very wide colour gamut [same as the F65] and high frame rates: up to 180fps in 4K and up to 240fps in HD,” said Bovis. It also has a Global Shutter to avoid any rolling shutter skew effect or flash banding. The F5 will shoot at up to 120fps in HD. The F65 can shoot at up to 180fps at 4K and up to 240fps in 2K Raw.

The cameras are promised to offer a wide dynamic range (14 stops), high sensitivity, and low noise.

Viewfinders + monitors

Thanks to a new digital interface, the PMW-F5 and F55 will also be able to use the new DVF-EL100 1280x720 OLED viewfinder. There is also a new 3.5-inch 960x540-pixel LCD viewfinder (DVF-L350), offering 10x the contrast of previous Sony LCD viewfinders plus a flip-up eyepiece for direct monitoring, and a 7-inch 1920x1080 LCD on-camera monitor (DVF-L700).

The PMW-F55 can also connect to Sony’s new 4K 30-inch 10-bit LCD monitor (PVM-X300) for on-set monitoring, dailies and editing using four 3G-SDI interfaces to monitor pictures at 4096x2160 resolution at up to 60p while recording and playing back XAVC 4K images. It can also be connected directly to the 84-inch BRAVIA 4K LED TV for monitoring, but at a resized horizontal resolution of 3860 pixels.

Batteries + rigs

The F5 and F55 also use compact new Olivine (Lithium Iron Phosphate) batteries that promise twice the lifetime of conventional Lithium Ion cathodes and provide an hour of power for Raw recording when using the R5 with either the F5/F55 (Raw is more power hungry than the other codecs). There is also a new 2x faster battery charger.

The cameras will also have a new shoulder rig, “so you can easily use it shoulder mounted. It’s very modular in how you want to use it,” said Bovis.

PL-mount lenses

The F55 and F5 cameras come with a PL lens mount, for use with high-end cine-style lenses, but Sony is also launching six new CineAlta T2.0 PL-mount lenses for the cameras (20, 25, 35, 50, 85 and 135mm).

Each is certified for 4K and is designed to minimize geometric distortion, vignetting and breathing. A 9-blade iris should deliver pleasing bokeh (out-of-focus effects), and the focus rings rotate 240°. For easy lens changes, each has the same external diameter, matte box diameter, and gear locations for follow focus and aperture. All are the same lenght except for the 135mm. 

The cameras are fitted with a native FZ mount (but the PL-mount adaptor is supplied), so users will also be able to fit other adaptors for Canon EF, Canon FD, Nikon DX, Nikon G, Leica M and even 2/3-inch B4 lenses.

Availability

The F5, F55, F65 upgrade, and lenses should be available by the end of January, but 2K and QFHD recording for the PMW-F55 and 2K for the PMW-F5 will be available through a firmware upgrade. Frame rates higher than 60fps will also require a firmware upgrade.

Prices should be announced in November.

NEX-FS700 + HXR-1FR5

At its introduction, last April, Sony promised that the NEX-FS700 would be able to record 4K, and soon it will, using the new HXR-1FR5 interface unit, which has 3G HD-SDI input, to deliver Raw data, and the new AXS-R5 recording unit – which uses a new generation of Access Memory Card with 512GB of storage. It will also require a firmware upgrade.

Although the FS700 can already record high frame rates in HD, it won’t have that feature in 4K, where the available frame rates will be 23.98p, 25p, 29.97p, 50p and 59.94p.

The HXR-IFR5 and firmware upgrade should be available between April and June 2013.

By David Fox

Canon EOS C100 Super35 camera

Canon has announced a new entry-level HD large-sensor camera to compliment its existing C300 and the upcoming 4k-capable C500. The C100 records about half the data rate of the C300, but then it will cost about half the price….

The EOS C100 digital video camera is aimed at budget filmmaking. It records 1920x1080 HD video in the AVCHD codec (24Mbps, 4:2:0) to dual SD cards, for up to 12 hours recording on two 64GB cards.

Higher quality formats will require an external recorder, such as the Atomos Ninja 2 (via the C100’s uncompressed HDMI port – no HD-SDI, but the HDMI is lockable).

It has three seconds of cache recording, so you can capture what happened before you pressed the record button.

By replacing the C300’s Compact Flash recording, the C100 shrinks to about 85% of the size, and weighs 1020g (410g less than the C300).

It has push auto iris and one-shot auto focus – or full manual focus and exposure control, but it is being touted as being optimised for use by a single operator, although these auto functions are not available if shooting with Canon’s cinema lenses.

It also has a rotatable 3.5-inch LCD control panel, which is built-in rather than an add-on (as it is on the C300), plus a high-resolution electronic viewfinder (EVF). Thankfully, there are built-in ND filters (2, 4 and 6 stops), which gives it a key advantage over Sony’s NEX-FS100 and all DSLRs).

For audio, it has dual XLR inputs (on the detachable handle), recording linear PCM two-channel audio or Dolby digital two-channel audio.

Super35mm sensor

It promises “reduced rolling shutter artefacts” in interlaced mode, enhanced gamma modes, cinematic depth of field (from the Super35mm/APS-C sized sensor), and “excellent low-light performance”, which should be achievable as it appears to use the same 16:9 CMOS sensor as the C300 (which performs very well in low light and delivers excellent dynamic range of a consistent 12 stops through the ISO range).

It captures 8.4 megapixels, with individual Red, Green, and Blue channels for each full HD 1920x1080 frame, and provides an ISO range of from 320 to 20,000 for work in low light with “minimal picture noise”. It also uses Canon’s DIGIC DV III image processor for better colour rendition.

Frame rates

There are multiple recording modes, resolutions, and frame rates (60i, 50i, PF30, 25p, PF24 and 24p), plus enhanced gamma modes (including Wide Dynamic Range Gamma and Canon Log Gamma) for a peak dynamic range of 800% and wide exposure latitude for creative post-production image processing, colour correction, and contrast manipulation (although if you are recording AVCHD with 4:2:0 colour space, you lose a lot of that).

The C100 has a similar modular design to the C300, so you can add accessories to suit your shooting style. A removable side-mounted rotating grip with start/stop button and miniature "joystick" menu control provides almost SLR-like operation.

A detachable handle on top of the C100 includes dual XLR connectors, built-in stereo microphone, a bracket for an external microphone, audio-input level adjustments, and a tally light.

It can record to both SD cards simultaneously or relay-record from one card to the other, but also outputs uncompressed 4:2:2 HD via HDMI, including superimposed time code and 2:3 pull-down marker information. The HDMI is lockable, and if you’re using external recorders you really need this. Additional outputs include a USB connector and stereo headphone jack.

EF-mount lenses

The C100 can be fitted with EF-mount lenses (of which Canon makes more than 70 zoom and prime lenses in its EF, EF-S and EF Cinema lens line ups, with other lenses available from third-party manufacturers).

There are now seven EF Cinema lens models, which are more suited to video use than stills lenses.

There are four zooms: the compact, lightweight CN-E15.5-47mm T2.8 L wide-angle zoom and the CN-E30-105mm (pictured above) T2.8 L telephoto cinema zoom (available in EF and PL versions – with a list price of $24,500); the CN-E14.5-60mm T2.6 L wide-angle zoom and CN-E30-300mm T2.95-3.7 L telephoto zoom (also EF and PL).

The primes are: the CN-E24mm T1.5 L, CN-E50mm T1.3 L, and CN-E85mm T1.3 L prime lenses. Two new cinema primes, the 14mm T3.1 and 135mm T2.2 (pictured), were announced today for release in the Spring.

Price and availability

The EOS C100 should be available in November, with a list price of $7,999 – our local dealers are pricing it at about £4,160 + VAT (just under £5,000 inclusive) – about €5,250 or $6,500 – so it’s a little more expensive than an FS100, probably its nearest rival (but considering what it offers, probably better value).

By David Fox

Sony NEX-EA50 NXCAM camcorder

Sony’s new NEX-EA50 answers a demand that many camcorder users have for a large-sensor, low(ish)-cost camcorder you can use on your shoulder without having to buy some sort of rig. Certainly, our most popular post ever is one from two years ago on Shoulder-mounted AVCHD cameras – which is exactly what this is…

As the newest addition to the NXCAM range, the NEX-EA50 has a new form factor that should be more comfortable to hold however you like to shoot.

When its shoulder pad is extended, the camcorder can be balanced on the shoulder for extra stability, making it a lot easier to hold for long shooting times. When the shoulder pad is in its original position, the camcorder is compact enough for any style of handheld use.

Many of its specifications seem similar to the NEX-FS100, but it doesn't appear to use the same sensor. The camcorder, due to ship in October, features a large format sensor, E-mount lens system, shooting Full HD movies (and high-quality still photos), but is promised to meet a “more affordable price point than ever before” - about £2,700 - Creative Video has it for £2,499 + VAT, which is less than €3,200/$4,000.

The Exmor APS-C/Super35mm-sized HD CMOS sensor is claimed to offer low noise and high sensitivity in low light conditions. It also enables 1080 progressive and interlace recording with 50/60Hz selection at 50p/25p/50i or 60p/30p/24p/60i. It records AVCHD 4:2:0 at up to 28Mbps. It can also record standard definition MPEG-2.

“This all-in-one camcorder brings a new level of creativity to a wider range of professional users than ever before,” said Bill Drummond, Sony Europe. “It combines affordability and high performance with a range of versatile, professional features for many applications, including event production, budget movie making and corporate production.”

It will capture 16.1 megapixel still pictures and has a built-in mechanical shutter so it can deliver high shutter speeds while capturing stills.

The camera can be used with any Sony E-mount lens, which enables auto focus, auto exposure and stabilisation during shooting. It has a short flange back distance, so it is possible to attach Sony A-mount lenses via the LA-EA2 lens mount adapter, or a wide range of other manufacturer’s lenses using third-party adapters.

The NEX-EA50 comes with the newly developed Power Zoom E-mount lens E PZ 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 OSS SELP18200. The 11x zoom includes auto focus, continuous variable iris and Optical Steady Shot image stabilisation with Active Mode, which should give a more stable shot.

The lens is electronically controlled via either the zoom rocker lever on the camcorder grip or the top handle, offering either a constant zoom speed or smooth, slow zoom.

Other camera functions include: two-channel XLR audio (an ECM-XM1 Shotgun microphone is included with the NEX-EA50H); Linear PCM audio; time code; user bit; built-in GPS; six assignable buttons; HDMI Type A, component (3xRCA) and A/V (RCA) outputs; 3.5-inch 1920x480 LCD; and Face Detection autofocus.

For recording, Sony’s HXR-FMU128 (128GB) flash memory unit (which costs about £600/€750/$1000) can dock directly to the camcorder for simultaneous backup recording. The camcorder is also compatible with Sony’s new Mirroring Memory Stick (MS-PX64/32/16), the world’s first memory card with mirroring. This enables the card to deliver higher reliability and data security through a dual recording (mirroring) function. The PX Series cards will be available from September, in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB versions. It can also record to SD cards.

By David Fox

Canon EOS C500 4K camcorder

Canon is launching the EOS C500, an interesting new 4K digital cinema camera based on the C300 at NAB this week. For full details, have a look at our Canon XF Notebook blog.

Related posts: New Sony NEX-FS700 4K camcorder; JVC HMQ10 handheld 4K camera; Canon EOS-1D C DSLR for 4K video + Canon EOS C300 digital film camera

New Sony NEX-FS700 4K camcorder

Sony has unveiled a new higher-resolution, higher framerate camcorder for about £6,000/$8,000/€7,500 + tax (or about a thousand more with 18-200mm lens). 

The NEX-FS700 will record full HD at up to 200 (50Hz) or 240 (60Hz) frames per second for 4x or 10x slow motion (depending on your base rate) and will eventually be able to record 4K (with a firmware upgrade and on an external recorder).

The FS700 improves in several ways on the existing NEX-FS100, and compares favourably with JVC’s new small-sensor 4K GY-HMQ10 camcorder (although the FS700 is about twice the price).

It has a Super 35mm (APS-C sized) CMOS sensor using a new 4K Exmor design with 11.6 million pixels (which can also be used for stills). It also has 3G HD-SDI output (which allows it record 4K externally) and built-in ND filters (unlike the FS100). There are also more creative options and shooting styles, as well as enhanced ergonomics, based on customer feedback.

“The NEX-FS700 opens the door to a new world of creative shooting,” said Bill Drummond, Strategic Marketing Manager, Sony Europe. “You can record beautiful high speed Full-HD movies with the freedom of choosing interchangeable lenses. The NEX-FS700, with its super slow motion mode, is ideal for pop promos, commercials and documentaries as well as sports and a variety of events productions.”

It doesn’t look like it will have the creative control of the PMW-F3, but the higher frame rates and/or resolution will probably make it more useful for many types of production – although once you factor in the cost of an external recorder, it may not be that much cheaper than the F3.

The it can deliver HD at 100/120 and 200/240 frames per second in bursts of 8 or 16 seconds respectively. It will also do 400/480fps HD at a lower bitrate and 800/960fps at reduced resolution and bitrate – the camera is 50hz/60hz switchable.

The NXCAM’s E-Mount can be fitted with virtually any SLR or DSLR 35mm lenses, thanks to inexpensive adapters, without optical degradation. With the FS100, the design hadn’t enough room to allow the fitting of neutral density filters, which are important to allow those wide-open F stops that give shallow depth of field, but the FS700 has a newly designed ND filter wheel that rotates across the sensor like a turret, with positions for Clear, 1/4 (2 Stop), 1/16 (4 Stop), and 1/64 (6 Stop).

The NEX-FS700’s 3GHD-SDI and HDMI connectors can output full HD 50p and 60p, plus 60i, 24p, 25p or 30p frame rates with embedded time code and audio. 3G HD-SDI can output native 23.98, 25, 29.97 progressive signals, but users can choose to output PsF over the 3G HD-SDI, and virtually any external recorder can be connected. A future firmware upgrade will enable the NEX-FS700 to output 4K bit-stream data over 3G HD-SDI when used with an optional Sony 4K recorder, which will no doubt make it a useful addition to the new 4K F65 as a B-roll or crash camera. Of course, the F65, of which Sony has now sold about 500 worldwide, is an 8K sensor, making use of all those extra pixels to deliver much higher quality, whereas the 4K sensor on the FS700 is ideally used for HD (in the same way as the 4K sensor on the Canon C300).

Users can save up to 99 camcorder profile settings on an MS or SD memory card and copy the same setting to multiple units. It also uses the MS or SD cards for internal media recording at AVCHD 24Mbps or 28Mbps.

The handle includes an “active grip” with four buttons for commonly used functions – expanded focus, auto iris, still capture and Recording Start/Stop – so handheld users can operate the camcorder more easily than the FS100. Function buttons have also bee enlarged to make operating easier, even while wearing gloves.

The NEX-FS700 is planned to be available in June 2012.


Introducing the Sony NEX-FS700 from Sony Professional on Vimeo.

By David Fox

Canon EOS-1D X filmmaker’s DSLR

HD DSLRs have been hugely popular, partly because of their low cost, but also because of the creative possibilities of the large sensor and shallow depth of field. Now Canon has announced its next generation DSLR, the EOS-1D X, which is positioned as "the film-maker’s DSLR" and addresses most of the main problems video users have with its 5D Mark II and 7D cameras.

It will allow users to record full HD movies from its full-frame 24x36mm CMOS sensor with a full range of manual settings to control exposure, focus and frame rate - 1920x1080 at 30 (29.97), 25 and 24 (23.976) frames per second, or 1280x720 at 60 (59.94) and 50fps, plus SD video in PAL or NTSC.

Sound levels can be displayed on the 3.2-inch 1.04million-dot LCD screen and adjusted during a take. It also has SMPTE Timecode (Rec. Run and Free Run), so you can synch it with other cameras or audio recorders.

It will use a new H.264-based intra frame (ALL-i) video codec to maintain higher video quality (and to be more edit friendly), limiting compression to retain more information for post-production – although it appears that it is still 8-bit video (.MOV files). Canon hasn't yet revealed what bitrate it will use, but anything less than the 50Mbps required by most broadcasters for HD (and offered by Canon's XF range of video cameras) would be a disappointment (and the only, unconfirmed, report there is about the bit rate is that it will record six minutes on a 16GB card, which is about 44Mbps). There is also an interframe IPB long-GoP compression option.

Dual Digic 5+ processors

It has dual Digic 5+ processors that work to reduce moiré artefacts, rolling shutter effects and chromatic aberration. There is no line skipping, which will also help deliver a cleaner picture. The new Digic 5+ processor is 17x faster than the Digic 4.

The camera also offers longer recording, automatically creating a new file once the 4GB file limit has been reached, which allows it to record for up to almost 30 minutes at a time (up from about 12 minutes before the 4GB limit kicked in). The new 29 minutes 59 seconds limit is due to EU levies on video recorders, which would result in about a 30% price increase if it recorded for 30 minutes or longer. It has two Compact Flash card slots for recording.

The sensor has much improved light gathering capabilities and wider dynamic range (the individual pixels are 0.55 microns larger than those on the 5DMkII's sensor, with gapless microlenses for enhanced light gathering efficiency, higher sensitivity and less noise at the pixel level). 

The ISO range for movie shooting now runs from ISO 100 to 51,200 (for stills it can be expanded to go from 50 to 204,800). In the sample EOS-1D X movie on the Canon website, the video was recorded at ISOs up to 25,600 with no appreciable noise – at least not viewable at the resolution the video is shown at.

There is also a dedicated Digic 4 processor for the metering system, which also handles face detection and colour to ensure correct exposure levels and improved auto-focus tracking, using a redesigned 61-point focusing system.

It has a Gigabit Ethernet port (above - top right), which could mean it can download video remotely and enhance its remote control capabilities, but exact details of what this might enable for video weren't revealed.

The EOS-1D X is also Canon's top-end stills camera, replacing both the 1Ds Mark III and 1D Mark 4, and shooting 18.1-megapixel images at up to 14 frames per second. It will cost about $6,800/£5,299/€6,299 when it ships at the end of April [UPDATE - now expected mid June 2012].

EOS milestone

Canon produced its 50-millionth EOS-series SLR camera in September (having made 10 million EOS cameras in just 16 months), and expects to have manufactured 70 million of its EF lenses by the end of October (producing 10 million in a mere nine months) – it started manufacturing both ranges of cameras and lenses in 1987.

Related posts: Canon EOS-1D C DSLR for 4K video + Canon EOS 5D Mark III launched

By David Fox

P+S Technik PS-Cam X35 speeds in

P+S Technik's new PS-Cam X35 combines the benefits of sync-sound and higher speed rates into a single, flexible digital camera, which can record at any speed from 1-450 frames per second.

It has a Super-35 CMOS sensor with global shutter (which avoids rolling shutter jello effects), base sensitivity of 640 ISO, dynamic range of 11 stops, and HD-SDI outputs (1.5 or 3Gbps). Onboard memory (18GB) records more than four minutes in normal speed or 40 seconds at 150fps. It will also deliver 24-60fps shooting via its HD-SDI output.

"The PS-Cam X35 is the first film-style digital cinematography camera made for the DAILY creative use of various kinds of special speed and motion effects (slow motion, fast motion, ramped motion and time lapse)," the company claimed.

It is "a proper all-purpose sync sound camera" and "an exciting alternative for crews and producers who want to make the leap from film to digital as seamlessly as possible while having motion effects capability with their main camera package at their fingertips." It means the main camera can be used for any motion effects footage without the additional cost of a separate high-speed camera and technician.

It will take just about any type of lens thanks to the PS-IMS (interchangeable mount system), which can accept a wide range of cine, TV and stills lenses.

It will initially record uncompressed 10-bit 4:2:2 HD, with both 10-bit 4:4:4 uncompressed and 12-bit RAW uncompressed planned future options, and P+S is working with Codex Digital, whose Onboard Recorder can be used with the camera and subsequently generate whatever editing formats might be needed, such as Avid's DNxHD, Apple ProRes or DPX. Price should be about €58,000.

This is the first camera that is a 100% P+S Technik product (it co-developed and manufactured the Weisscams and SI-2K). It will compete with the likes of the Red Epic and Weisscam's upcoming T-1, as the whole area of higher-speed cameras begins to open up.

There is an interesting blog post about the X35 from Joel Bergvall (director, DoP, editor, etc.), who had the chance to try out the prototype on a shoot and goes into a lot of detail. He also has a "Thank You For Not Smoking" commercial shot with the camera on another post.

Related post: P+S Technik to launch PS-Cam X35

By David Fox

Sony NEX-FS100 takes on DSLRs

Sony has unveiled a new lower-priced Super 35mm NXCAM camcorder. The large-sensor NEX-FS100E is an E-mount camcorder (taking interchangeable lenses) and can be seen as Sony's answer to the rise of HD DSLRs.

It complements the recently released PMW-F3, which uses the same CMOS sensor, but with lower-cost recording options. It records AVCHD 4:2:0 at up to 28Mbps internally, either to an optional 128GB solid-state drive (the existing £600 HXR-FMU128 familiar from the HXR-NX5) or to a single SDHC card or Sony's own Memory Stick Pro Duo (which fit in the same slot). It also has a full-size HDMI output, which delivers 8-bit 1920x1080 4:2:2 video, with embedded timecode, for use with an external recorder.

Its Exmor Super 35 CMOS sensor offers shallow depth of field similar to that of a movie camera, and it can record 1080p 50/60 (at 28Mbs) as well as capturing slow and quick motion (enabled via a single button press and thumb wheel). The 28Mbps format is not yet part of the AVCHD standard, so not all non-linear editing systems can cope with it. It also records 50/60i or 24/25p at 24Mbps.

“The NEX-FS100E NXCAM Super 35mm camcorder enables budget content creators and videographers to experience a new level of cinematic expression” claimed Bill Drummond, Strategic Marketing Manager, Sony Professional. “Sony has responded to professional user feedback to create this new camcorder with an ergonomically designed body and accessories offering really flexibility in use.”

Controls and menus should be familiar to anyone used to Sony's EX1 or EX3, and there are six assignable buttons, a top-mounted rotatable 3.5-inch LCD with touch-screen controls for video playback, and two XLR audio sockets built into the camera body rather than in the usual breakout box. It uses the same batteries as the Sony Z1, but is reported to get much longer operating times from them.

The E-mount lens system is used in Sony's NEX-5, -3 and NEX-VG10E cameras and has a very short flange back distance (the distance between lens mount surface and sensor surface – unfortunately this means there is no room for built-in neutral density filters, which would be necessary to make the most of the shallow depth of field in bright light). It allows various A-mount lenses to be mounted via an adaptor. It will also be possible to attach a wide range of other lenses, such as PL-mount, Canon and Nikon lenses, using third-party mounts.

The FS100EK lens kit model comes with an E18-200mm F3.5-6.3 OSS zoom lens, which gives users optical Steadyshot and auto focus.

The grip, handle and hybrid LCD viewfinder are detachable for use in confined locations. The camera weighs about 2.7kg including kit lens and battery. It includes a built in GPS receiver to geotag footage on location.


Cozi: 'Vertigo' Music Video from Den & James on Vimeo.

"The images coming out of this camera are absolutely stunning," according to Den Lennie, founder, F.Stop Academy, who was the first independent filmmaker to shoot a video with one of the two pre-production FS100 models. "The picture quality is absolutely amazing." He shot a pop promo, mainly at night, and found the sensor worked well in low light (with sensitivity of about 800 ISO). "Where there was noise it was very clean noise, very soft noise," he said. He likened it to a cross between the EX1 and a DSLR.

The first formal review of the camera, by Nigel Cooper, isn't so complimentary. He prefers Panasonic's AF100/AF101, which costs about $1,000 less. Although the FS100's Super 35mm sensor is about 10% larger than the AF101's Micro Four Thirds chip, that will only deliver a marginal difference in depth of field, and the AF101 does have built-in ND filters.


Sony's own promo video shows some nice shots in only candlelight (although it was shot with an f1.2 lens), and some examples of how it handles slow motion.

The €5,500 NEX-FS100E and €6,000 EK model will be available in May.

By David Fox

Sony + JVC low-cost 3D camcorders

3D was probably the key theme at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last week (even more so than would be iPad rivals), with 3D displays, 3D games consoles, 3D-equipped laptops, and cheap and simple consumer cameras on many stands – some of which could find themselves used for professional applications.

Sony's first foray into the world of consumer 3D camcorders includes one that should be of interest to professional users.

The Sony HDR-TD10E was claimed to be "the world’s first Double Full HD 3D consumer camcorder" – JVC made similar claims (see below). It uses an integrated dual lens system with two Sony G Lenses, two Exmor R CMOS sensors, and two BIONZ image processors, recording 1920x1080 on both channels. It can also output full HD 2D video, and recordings can be played back in 3D without glasses on the camcorder’s 3.5-inch autostereoscopic LCD touch screen.

Other features include: 10x optical zoom with Optical SteadyShot (Active Mode) and iAUTO in 3D mode; 64GB of built-in flash memory.

The HDR-TD10E will be available in April for about $1,499.

Sony also has one of the simplest, cheapest and smallest 3D camcorders on offer in its new Bloggie HD range.

The Sony MHS-FS3 Bloggie 3D records 1920x1080 MP4 video and 5-megapixel still photos. It has two lenses (very close together), two image sensors, stereo microphone and built-in LED light. Recordings can be viewed in 3D without glasses on the camera’s 2.4-inch LCD or via a 3D screen using HDMI. It has 8GB of internal memory and will be available in April for less than $250.

JVC goes full on

JVC's GS-TD1 full HD 3D consumer camcorder (pictured top) can also record 1920x1080 (50i or 60i) on both left and right channels simultaneously (as well as supporting side-by-side format AVCHD 3D plus AVCHD 2D).

It features two 3D HD GT 5x lenses (10x in 2D mode), two 3.32 megapixel CMOS sensors, 64GB of built-in flash memory plus an SD card slot, the new Falconbrid LSI chip, and a 3.5-inch glasses-free 3D touch panel LCD. It should cost less than $1,700 and ship in March, a month before the HDR-TD10 – which might indeed mean it lives up to JVC's claim that "the newly developed LR Independent Format makes the GS-TD1 the world's first consumer-oriented camcorder capable of 3D shooting in Full HD."

It has an Optical Axis Automatic Stabilization System for disparity control to give depth to 3D images, Biphonic technology for dynamic 3D sound, and Automatic Parallax Adjustment to optimize the 3D-video comfort zone. The f1.2 lenses have round iris diaphragms to give a pleasing bokeh effect (background blurring) for both video and stills alike – although the small, back-illuminated CMOS sensors may not always give the shallow depth of field needed to make that useful - although shallow depth of field isn't really applicable to 3D as it makes the 3D effect look less natural.

The GS-TD1 will be able to do 3D time-lapse recording, which could make it very useful as a set and forget camcorder for long-term projects. It also records 3D still images. [UPDATE: The first reviews are coming in - see GS-TD1 review at Digital Trends].

JVC also showed a new compact HD Everio camcorder with 3D capabilities. The $950 GZ-HM960 has 2D-to-3D conversion built in, to turn any 2D footage into 3D. Output can be viewed without glasses on the camera's 3.5-inch 3D LCD monitor, or by connecting the camcorder to a 3D TV.  It will be available in February.

By David Fox

Panasonic AF101 in high demand

A few buyers of Panasonic's new AG-AF101 (AF100) camcorder may get them in time for Christmas, but anyone ordering now could be in for a long wait.

Demand for the large-sensor camera has been much higher than expected. "The first shipment has been well over sold. The second shipment is probably pre-sold too," said Richard Payne, Technical Business Development, at Holdan, Panasonic's UK distributor (whose video discussing the advantages of the AF100/AF101, shot by Martin Kay using an AF101 and Zeiss 35mm Compact Prime, is above).

Anyone ordering one now would be unlikely to receive it before the end of January, and perhaps even later. Some of its dealers have ordered hundreds of them.

"I've never seen so much demand for pre orders for something no one has seen yet. It's been very unusual," he added. He believes the biggest attraction of the camera is "mainly the ability to produce creative depth of field on a camera costing about £4,000."

He has spent some time with a pre-production model, and says: "It is fabulous. It's as good as I expected it to be." He hopes to buy one himself, and has been demonstrating it to possible customers, such as the National Film and Television School, where it was put through low-light tests in just candlelight. The results looked so good that Brian Tufano, the cinematographer of Billy Elliot, Trainspotting and many TV dramas (who also teaches at the NFTS), said he'd like to use it to shoot a feature film.

It is possible that Holdan will be able to get some shipments to dealers just before Christmas, but most won't have them until the week of the 27th.


Panasonic AG-AF100 / AF101 from UrbanFox.TV on Vimeo.

Key features of the AF100/AF101 include:

• a Micro Four Thirds sensor (almost as large as a 35mm movie frame)
• ability to be used with a wide range of lenses, including Zeiss Compact Primes and stills lenses via adaptors 
• 24Mbps AVCHD recording onto SD cards, but with HD-SDI and HDMI outputs for 4:2:2 recording
• variable frame rate recording for slow and fast motion
• it has none of the aliasing or moiré effects seen on HD DSLR cameras (as it uses an optical filter to reduce the resolution and smooth out any possible defects)
• it also has lots of useful video features (that you won't find on DSLRs), such as peaking, waveform display, various gamma modes, internal optical neutral density filters, uncompressed audio with XLR inputs, and timecode input/output.

Related posts: Panasonic's HD DSLR killer + New Panasonic AF100/AF101(updated)

By David Fox

Sony shows Super 35mm NXCAM

Sony has shown a potential spoiler for Panasonic's AG-AF100/AF101 that boasts a larger Super 35mm sensor for desirable shallow depth of field shots and 50p recording.

This will be an entry-level digital cinema camera, recording AVCHD at 24Mbps – however, full details are still sketchy and where Panasonic offers 50p/60p recording (on its high-end consumer SD700 and TM700 camcorders) it uses 28Mbps MPEG4-AVC/H.264 recording, which is not part of the AVCHD standard. The S35 NXCAM will also have uncompressed 10-bit 4:2:2 output through HD-SDI and/or HDMI.

The camera will use an E-mount interchangeable lens system identical to the Alpha series lens system used on the NEX-5 and NEX-3 stills/video cameras and Handycam NEX-VG10. It will also be possible to fit A-mount lenses via a lens adaptor, and PL-mount lenses with another adaptor (which may be part of the package). There are also other third-party lens adaptors to allow the camera to be used with lenses from the likes of Canon, Nikon, Pentax and Leica.

Besdes 50p (and presumably 60p), it will also record 25p (and 30/24p), although Sony currently seems to be planning separate European (25/50p) and US (24/30/60p) versions rather than a single worldwide model.

It will use a Super 35mm-sized CMOS sensor, apparently the same sensor as on the PMW-F3, and record to SDHC or Memory Stick media. It will have two-channel uncompressed audio and its design is based on a lot of feedback it got at IBC when it showed the VG10, so it will have XLR audio connections, improved ergonomics, and a wider range of recording formats. List price should be about €6,000 and it is expected to ship sometime after NAB, which is in April.

Related posts: Sony PMW-F3: Budget filmmaking?, Panasonic AF100 / AF101 - the movie,  Sony's HD DSLR in a Handycam, Sony embarks on 35mm camera development + Sony NEX-FS100 takes on DSLRs

By David Fox